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Balochestan

Selimut Debu 85: Saudara Sebangsa

Termometer digital di dalam truk menunjukkan suhu 48 derajat Celcius. Itu suhu di luar sana. Di dalam truk ini sopir dan aku duduk nyaman berkat sejuknya AC. Aku menumpang truk menuju Zahedan, ibu kota provinsi Baluchistan di tenggara Iran. Ini adalah nama yang seram bagi banyak orang Iran. Mereka menganggap, Baluchistan terlalu berbahaya, karena banyak orang Baluchi, Sunni, penculik, penyelundup, dan Afghan. “Jangan mudah percaya dengan orang Baluchi,” kata Aziz, sopir truk asal Tabriz di Iran barat laut saat mengemudikan kendaraan besarnya, ”Mereka itu adalah pembohong dan pengkhianat. Mereka juga pencuri, perampok, bajingan.” Di luar truk terhampar padang pasir Dasht-e-Lut yang kering kerontang, hanya ditumbuhi belukar. ”Lihatlah, betapa kering dan miskinnya tempat ini. Di sini tak ada apa-apa. Rakyat lapar. Tak ada yang bisa dimakan, sehingga mereka terpaksa mencuri.” Ancaman keamanan lain di Baluchistan adalah separatisme. Seiring bergulirnya roda zaman, negara-negara baru akan terus bermunculan, suku-suku mencuat kepribadian dan kebanggaannya, sementara negeri-negeri kuno berjuang mempertahankan eksistensi mereka. Selain itu, karena begitu dekat dari Afghanistan, Baluchistan banyak dipenuhi oleh para pengungsi Afghan. Dari Zahedan, empat jam perjalanan bus ke utara, adalah kota perbatasan Zabol yang berhadapan langsung dengan gerbang Afghanistan. Apa yang kau harapkan dari kota perbatasan Afghanistan? Imigran gelap? Perkampungan [...]

February 21, 2014 // 2 Comments

#1Pic1Day: Hancur Lebur | Devastated (Bam, IRAN, 2008)

Devastated (Bam, IRAN, 2008) 27 December 2003, the small town of Bam – located in southeastern Iran, about 300 kilometers from Kerman – was rocked by 6.8 Richter-scale earthquakes. More than 40,000 were killed. Asides from the human casualty, Iran also grieved the loss of one of their civilization jewels. The ancient city of thousands years old in Bam was nothing but flattened. Five years after the earthquake, rubbles are still seen here and there in Bam, but live starts to get normal again. As it is bordering with the problematic province of Sistan-e-Balochestan, security is still an issue in Bam. Kidnappings of foreign visitors happen sporadically, and during certain period of time, foreigners have to be accompanied by armed guards while traveling around the town. Hancur Lebur (Bam, IRAN, 2008) Pada 27 Desember 2003, kota kecil Bam di Iran tenggara, dilanda gempa dahsyat berkekuatan 6,8 Skala Richter. Lebih dari 40 ribu orang tewas dalam bencana itu. Selain korban jiwa, Iran juga meratapi hilangnya salah satu permata peradaban mereka. Kota kuno Bam yang sudah berusia ribuan tahun hancur diratakan oleh gempa. Lima tahun sesudah malapetaka itu, puing-puing kehancuran masih terlihat nyata di Bam, walaupun kehidupan sudah mulai normal. Bam berbatasan [...]

September 18, 2013 // 0 Comments

Bam – The Flattened Civilization

From what is left, you still can be amazed by the grandeur of an advanced ancient civilization 27 December 2003, the small town of Bam – located in southeastern Iran, about 300 kilometers from Kerman – was shocked by 6.8 Richter-scale earthquake. More than 40,000 were killed. Asides of the human casualty, Iran has another thing to grieve, as one of its civilization jewels was nothing but flattened. The ancient mud city of Bam used to be one of the strongest tourism magnets in Iran. People claimed it has 3,000 years of history, at least from the Sassanian period. Thousands of interesting old mud houses, sprawl under a giant mud citadel, giving exotic fairytale impression. I adore the old pictures of Bam, which are still hanged everywhere to remind how majestic the place used to be. But, the view of Arg-e-Bam (the ancient citadel surrounded by the mud city) today makes me weeping. The place is in severe desolation. The citadel which was appraised by Marco Polo and other ancient travelers now turned to be rubble. The old town become sad crumbling remains and debris. Workers are everywhere, hoping to restore the old town to its ancient glory, but not [...]

June 14, 2008 // 0 Comments